Combination switch



NOV. 19, 1957 F, LEBER 2,813,948

COMBINATION SWITCH Filed March 10, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOP F.LEBER COMBINATION SWITCH Nov. 19, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 10,1954 INVE'NTOQ [@er- COMBINATHGN SWITCH Felix Leber, Koln-Riehl, GermanyApplication March 10, 1954, Serial No. 415,386

Claims priority, application Germany March 12, 1953 11 Claims. (Cl.2ll098) The present invention relates to a combination switch forestablishing electric connections of separate conductors.

It is an object of this invention to provide a combination switch whichwill be adapted to carry out the various commands given by a steppedswitch or a preset control as it occurs for instance in connection withmachine tools for machining workpieces.

it is a further object of this invention to provide a combination switchof the above mentioned character which will comprise a maximum of switchpossibilities.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a combinationswitch of the above mentioned type which will require a minimum ofspace.

Still another object of this invention consists in the provision of acombination switch as set forth above which will be simple inconstruction and safe in operation.

it is also an object of this invention to provide a combination switchof the above mentioned type which will have a minimum of conductors andsoldering points and will be easy to check and easy to be operated.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear moreclearly from the following specification in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the combination switchaccording to the invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates the actuating magnets for the portion shown in Fig. lwhich latter contains the switch bridges.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a portion of Fig. 1 but on a scale largerthan that used in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a switch bridge with contact fingers as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows the structures of Figs. 1 and 2 in assembled condition.

Fig. 6a represents a contact bridge similar to that of Fig. 4 but withall tongues connected thereto.

Figs. 6b to 6d represent contact bridges similar to that of Fig. 4 butwith different tongues removed.

General arrangement which the contact fingers of the switch bridges arepro- Vided.

1 States Patent 0 M 2,813,948 Patented Nov. 19, 1957 ICC Structuralarrangement Referring to the drawing in detail, the combination switchaccording to the present invention comprises conductors in form ofcorrugated metal bands 1. The legs in and 1b of the corrugations formthe contacts. The arrangement according to the invention furthermorecomprises switch bridges generally designated 2 (Fig. 4) which in theparticular embodiment shown in the drawings have a comb-like appearancewith the teeth 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d serving as contact fingers. The metalbands are arranged along parallel lines and are insulated from eachother by strips 4 arranged therebetween. The rows of metal bands 1 andinsulating strips 4 are interconnected by means of insulating strips 5and 6 extending transverse thereto. The said insulating strips 5 and 6are arranged parallel to each other so that the entire arrangement has ahoneycomb-like appearance. The insulating strips 5 extend through thecorrugations arranged one behind the other in such a manner that one legin of each of the corrugations of the metal bands 1 has its insidecovered up by said insulating strips 5. In this way the contact finger 3is prevented from resting against the leg in. In order to prevent anundesired contact of the contact fingers 3 with the legs 1b, the contactfingers 3 are resiliently pressed against the insulating strips 5 whenthe switch bridges 2 occupy their rest position. The insulating strips 6extend between two adjacent corrugations of all metal bands 1 arrangedone behind the other and hold together the metal bands 1 and insulatingstrips 4. The insulating strips 4 are provided with cut outs 4a whichserve as supports for the insulating strips 5 and 6.

The two extreme insulating strips 7 which confine that portion of theswitch which comprises the metal bands 1 and insulating strips 4, 5 and6 are thicker than the insulating strips 4 and extend downwardly so thattheir ends can be provided with wedge-like cut-outs 8 for receiving theswitch bridges 2. Switch bridges 2 are provided with cut-outs 9 at theirsupporting points, which cut-outs are engaged by insulating strips 7 inorder to prevent the switch bridges 2 from lateral displacement. Theinsulating strips 5 and 6 are connected with the switch bridges 2 bymeans of tension springs 10 so as to maintain the insulating strips andswitch bridges within their respective supporting cut-outs.

The insulating strips 7 are interconnected and braced against each otherby means of rods 11.

For purposes of actuating the switch bridges 2, each switch bridge hasassociated therewith a magnet 12 with a movable iron core 13 whichlatter moves out of said magnets when the latter are actuated. Themagnets 12 are arranged in rows on a base plate 14 and are offset withregard to each other along oblique lines in order to save space. At theends of the base plate 14 and perpendicular thereto are mounted tworesilient plates 15. These plates 15 are connected to that part of theswitch (henceforth called the upper part) which comprises the metalbands 1 and insulating strips 4, 5 and 6 etc. so that they form aparallelogram with the said upper part and the base plate 14. in view ofthe resiliency of the plates 15, the base plate 14 with the magnets 1?.(henceforth called the lower part) can be displaced parallel with regardto the upper part.

When one of the magnets 12 is excited, its iron core 13 will move out ofthe respective magnet. When the upper part is moved parallel with regardto the lower part, the said core 13 abuts the tongue 2a of the switchbridge 2 pertaining thereto. When the upper part is moved further withregard to the lower part of the switch, the core 13 presses against thetongue 2a so that the switch bridge 2 pertaining thereto is tilted abouta line passing through the bearings or supports 9a. The parallelmovement of the upper part with regard to the lower part can be effected in any desired manner for instance by means of a magnet.

Fig. shows the structures of Figs. 1 and 2 in assembled condition. Aswill be seen from Fig. 5, when assembling the structures of Figs. 1 and2, the upper edges of the metal plates 15 engage corresponding slots 11ain the two bolts 11 of the upper part shown in Fig. l. The upper andlower part are held together by two springs 17. One end of spring 17passes around the bolt 11 and, in order not to impede the end portion ofthis spring, the plate 15 is provided with a notch 15a. The other end ofthe spring 17 engages a pin 18 on the lower part shown in Fig. 2. Thetwo springs 17 in addition to holding the upper and lower parts togetherbring about that both parts when moved relative to each other while theresilient plates 15 bend, will return to their starting or normalposition when the force bringing about said relative movement subsides.The individual conductors connected to the metal bands 1 and adaptedselectively to be electrically interconnected by the switch aredesignated with the reference numeral 24. The feeding lines to themagnets 12 are designated with the reference numeral 25 and areconnected to the lower portion thereof.

The switch bridge shown in Fig. 6a corresponds substantially to that ofFig. 4. However, while in Fig. 4 the tongue-like contact members 3a, 3b,3c and 3d only are shown in full lines, Fig. 6a shows all of the contactmembers 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 in full lines, which means that thecontact member of Fig. 6a has all of its contacting tongues connectedthereto, whereas in the switch bridge of Fig. 4, many of the contactmembers have been removed. When a switch bridge according to Fig. 6a isactuated by causing the magnetic core 13 to be lifted in front of thetongue 2a while the upper part of the switch is moved relative to thelower part, all metal bands to 1g, and thus all conductors 24 will beelectrically interconnected.

If, however, a switch bridge according to Fig. 6b is employed oractuated which has the contact fingers 20, 22, 23 removed, it will beevident that only the two metal bands 1c and 1e will be electricallyinterconnected. Correspondingly, a switch bridge according to Fig. 60will, when actuated, electrically interconnect the metal bands 10, 1eand 1 only.

Operation In the rest position, the switch bridges 2 have their contactfingers 3 in resilient contact with the insulating strips 5 in ordersafely to prevent a contact and thus an electric connection with thelegs 1b of the corrugations. The resiliency is obtained by bending outone or more contact fingers at each switch bridge. The bent-out contactfinger rests against the leg 1b of one metal band, and all bent-outfingers of all switch bridges rest against the same metal band. Thismetal band is either always currentless or it acts as neutral wire, i.e. in each combination position, the connection of the respective metalbands 1 is to be effected with this neutral wire.

The control combs are, for purposes of simplicity, provided with as manyteeth as there are metal bands 1. Those teeth which are not necessaryfor the combination to be controlled are removed from each control comb.These teeth are indicated in Fig. 4 by dot-dash lines. In order to bringabout a desired combination which as stated is pre-set on a switchbridge, the magnet 12a (Fig. 2) which is associated with this switchbridge receives current and thereupon moves its core 13a upwardly. Whenparallelly displacing the upper part with regard to the lower part ofthe switch, the core 13a presses'against the abutment 2a of the switchbridge pertaining thereto in such a manner that the contact fingersthereof rest against the legs of the corrugations of those metal bands 1which pertain to the desired combination.

The wedge-shaped form of the cut-outs 8 allows a tilting movement of theswitch bridges 2 and simultaneously limits said switch movement so thatan overload of the contact fingers 3 and thus a deformation will beprevented.

In addition to the simple easy to be checked design of the presentinvention which requires only a minimum of space, another importantadvantage of the switch according to the invention consists in that thepower which brings about the contact pressure does not have to beproduced by the magnet through which the control currents pass. The saidforce is rather produced by one single powerful magnet for the total ofall circuits. It is this magnet which brings about the relative paralleldisplacement of the two parts of the switch. In this way, the controloutput requires only a small amount of energy.

It is, of course, understood that the present invention is, by no means,limited to the particular constructions shown in the drawings but alsocomprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A combination switch comprising in combination: a plurality of metalbands normally insulated from each other and bent so as to have acorrugated contour formed by U-shaped cranks having plane surfaces andbeing alternately directed in opposite directions while the legs of eachof said cranks of each metal band are respectively common to therespective adjacent cranks, one leg of each of said cranks of each metalband forming a plane contact surface, said bands being arrangedsubstantially parallel to each other and forming electric conductors, aplurality of comb-like contact bridges having plane surface teeth-likecontact fingers respectively extending into cranks of a plurality ofsaid bands, each of said contact bridges being tiltable about a lineparallel to the longitudinal axis of said contact bridges from anineffective position in which said fingers are spaced from therespective adjacent contact surfaces into an efiective position forengaging said contact surfaces by said fingers, the number of contactfingers of said contact bridges corresponding only to the number ofcranks the contact surfaces of which are to be engaged for establishingdesired circuits, and means arranged for tilting said contact bridges tobring about the respective contact of said contact bridges with theadjacent contact surfaces of said metal bands.

2. In a combination switch: a plurality of metal bands normallyinsulated from each other and bent so as to have a corrugated contourformed by U-shaped cranks having plane surfaces and being alternatelydirected in opposite directions while the legs of each of said cranks ofeach metal band are respectively common to the respective adjacentcranks, one leg of each of said cranks of each metal band forming aplane contact surface, said bands being arranged substantially parallelto each other and forming electric conductors, a plurality of contactbridges having plane surface contact fingers extending into cranks of aplurality of said bands and also being provided with abutment means,said contact bridges being movable selectively from an ineffectiveposition in which said fingers are spaced from the respective adjacentcontact surfaces to an effective position for causing said fingers toengage said contact surfaces to thereby establish desired circuits, aplurality of magnets with a movable core therein, the number of saidmagnets and cores corresponding to the number of said contact bridges,each of said contact bridges having associated therewith a magnet with amovable core therein adapted in response to current passing through saidmagnet to move out of the respective magnet and while in moved outposition in response to a relative movement between said magnets andsaid metal bands and contact bridges to cause the latter to move thecontact fingers of the respective adjacent contact bridge into elfectiveposition.

3. A combination switch according to claim 2, in which the magnets andthe abutment means cooperating therewith are laterally ofiset in thedirection of the contact bridges.

4. In a combination switch: a plurality of metal bands normallyinsulated from each other and bent so as to have a corrugated contourformed by U-shaped cranks having plane surfaces and being alternatelydirected in opposite directions while the legs of each of said cranks ofeach metal band are respectively common to the respective adjacentcranks, one leg of each of said cranks of each metal band forming aplane contact surface, said bands being arranged substantially parallelto each other and forming electric conductors and contacts, a pluralityof contact bridges having contact fingers extending into cranks of aplurality of said bands, said contact bridges being movable selectivelyfrom an ineffective position in which said fingers are spaced from therespective adjacent contact surfaces to an effective position forcausing said fingers to engage said contact surfaces to therebyestablish desired circuits, said metal bands and said contact bridgesforming a first unit, a plurality of magnets with cores therein movableout of said magnets in response to current passing therethrough foractuating said contact bridges, said magnets and cores forming a secondunit and while corresponding in number to the number of movable contactbridges being respectively arranged for cooperation with said contactbridges, said two units being movably arranged with regard to eachother, and control magnet means operable to effect a relative movementof one unit with regard to the other unit to thereby cause the cores ofthe respective magnets receiving current to actuate the respectiveadjacent contact bridges to move their contact fingers into effectiveposition.

5. In a combination switch: a plurality of metal bands normallyinsulated from each other and bent so as to have a corrugated contourwith alternating relatively narrow and wide U-shaped cranks open towardopposite sides and having plane surfaces while the legs of each of saidcranks of each of said metal bands are respectively common to therespective adjacent cranks of one and the same hand, one leg of each ofsaid cranks of each metal band forming a plane contact surface on theinside of the respective U-shaped crank, said bands being arrangedsubstantially parallel to each other and forming electric conductors andelectric contact surfaces while the respective narrow and wide U-shapedcranks are in substantial alignment with each other, strips ofinsulating material arranged substantially parallel to each other andrespectively engaging the inner leg surfaces of the wide U-shaped cranksother than said contact surfaces, a plurality of contact bridges havingplane surface contact fingers respectively extending into a plurality ofthe Wide U-shaped cranks of said bands, said contact bridges beingmovable selectively from an inefiective position in which said fingersare spaced from the respective contact surface cpposite the surfaceengaged by the adjacent strip of insulating material to an effectiveposition for causing said fingers respectively to engage said contactsurfaces to thereby establish desired circuits, and yielding meansyieldably pressing said contact fingers against the adjacent strip ofinsulating material when said contact fingers are in their ineffectiveposition.

6. A combination switch according to claim 5, which includes anadditional corrugated band corresponding in shape to said metal bands,and in which the yielding means of all of said contact bridges arearranged in the corrugations of said additional corrugated band and areformed by teeth-like prongs supported by said contact bridges, saidadditional corrugated band being arranged outside the circuits to beestablished by said switch.

7. A combination switch according to claim 5, which includes anadditional corrugated metal band corresponding in shape to said metalbands, and in which the yielding means of all of said contact bridgesare arranged in the corrugations of said additional corrugated band andare formed by teeth-like prongs supported by said contact bridges, saidadditional metal band serving as neutral conductor in the circuits to beestablished by the switch.

8. In a combination switch: a plurality of metal bands bent so as tohave a corrugated contour with alternating relatively narrow and widecorrugations open toward opposite sides and having plane surfaces whilethe legs of each of said cranks of each of said metal bands arerespectively common to the respective adjacent cranks of one and thesame hand, one leg of each of said cranks of each metal band forming aplane contact surface on the inside of the respective U-shaped crank,said bands being arranged substantially parallel to each other andforming electric conductors and electric contact surfaces while therespective narrow and wide corrugations are in substantial alignmentwith each other, strips of insulating material arranged substantiallyparallel to each other and respectively engaging one leg surface of thewide U- shaped cranks other than said contact surfaces, additionalinsulating strips arranged substantially parallel to said metal bandsand respectively insulating said metal bands from each other, saidadditional insulating strips being provided with cut-outs receiving saidfirst mentioned insulating strips, a plurality of contact bridges havingplane surface contact fingers respectively extending into the wideU-shaped cranks of said bands, said contact bridges being movableselectively from an ineffective position in which said fingers arespaced from the respective contact surfaces to an etfeetive position forcausing said fingers to engage said contact surfaces to therebyestablish desired circuits, and yielding means yieldably pressing saidcontact fingers against the adjacent strip of insulating material whensaid contact fingers are in their ineffective position.

9. A combination switch according to claim 8, which includes a pair ofthird insulating strips laterally confining that portion of the switchwhich contains the metal bands, said third insulating strips beingthicker than said additional insulating strips and protruding beyondsaid portion and being provided with V-shaped notches in which saidcontact bridges are tiltably journalled, the inclined surfaces of saidnotches limiting the tilting movement of said contact bridges.

10. In a combination switch: a plurality of metal bands having acorrugated contour with alternating relatively narrow and wide U-shapedcranks respectively open toward opposite sides and having plane surfaceswhile the legs of each of said cranks of each of said metal bands arerespectively common to the respective adjacent cranks of one and thesame band, one leg of each of said cranks of each metal band forming aplane contact surface on the inside of the respective U-shaped crank,said bands being arranged substantially parallel to each other andforming electric conductors and electric contact surfaces, therelatively wide and narrow U-shaped cranks of said bands respectivelybeing in substantial alignment with each other, first strips ofinsulating material arranged substantially parallel to each other andrespectively engaging one inner surface of the relatively wide U-shapedcranks other than said contact surfaces, second strips of insulatingmaterial arranged substantially parallel to each other and to said firststrips of insulating material and respectively arranged in saidrelatively narrow U-shaped cranks while engaging the sides thereofadjacent the respective nearest first strip of insulating material tomaintain said metal bands in their respective positions, a plurality ofcontact bridges having contact fingers extending into the wide U-shapedcranks of said bands, contact bridges being movable selectively from anineffective position in which said fingers are spaced from therespective contact surface to an effective position for causing saidfingers to engage said contact surfaces to thereby establish desiredcircuits, and yielding means yieldably pressing said contact fingersagainst the ad jacent first strip of insulating material when saidcontact fingers are in their ineffective position.

11. A combination switch according to claim 10, which includes springmeans yieldahly connecting said first and second strips of insulatingmaterial with the respective adjacent contact bridges.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSAustin et a1 May 13, Hubbard Aug. 24, Graybill July 18, Donkelaar et a1.Nov. 27, Turnupseed et a1. Sept. 2,

